Through It All
by tru.light
Summary: James and Lily Potter, the parents of Harry whom everyone admired, respected, and loved. How did their love story start? Follows through Hogwarts, the beginning of the Dark War, and the ultimate end, and everything in between.


_Hi all! This is the return to my HP fiction writing…hope you enjoy! Please read and review, and always offer input or advice!_

_I am not JK Rowling, no infringement intended. I'm just a fanatic =)_

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"This is insane."

Lily Evans, a seventh year at Hogwarts, shrugged her book bag off of her shoulder as she sat on a plump armchair in the common room of the Gryffindor Tower. She closed her eyes as the thump of her bag falling onto the floor echoed throughout the empty room. Leaning her head back, she opened her eyes.

"This is bloody unbelievable."

"Unbelievable is right, Evans. You missed dinner, absolutely splendid tarts for dessert."

Rolling her eyes back to being closed, she lifted her head and sat straight up in her chair. The cocky, arrogant, and nonchalant voice she's heard for years only belonged to one person.

"Now, because I'm such a swell guy, a real sweetheart, you know…"

James Potter sat on the arm of Lily's chair his knees facing the other way as his upper body leaned down slightly, offering a spare tart wrapped in a maroon napkin.

"…I brought you one."

Lily darted her green eyes over the tart before looking up into James' bespectacled hazel eyes. For a moment she just stared at him, too tired to think of some retort. His black hair looked semi under control, and Lily smiled inside. She knew that James tried to get it under control before seeing her. As she thought, she saw a twitch in his taught jaw which made a smile pull at the corners of her lips.

"Potter…while I appreciate your gesture…"

"Come off it, Evans. I just heard your stomach growl, and it made me think of that fabled troll who lives on the third floor. No gesture, alright? Just food."

Lily bit her lip, looking down and realizing she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, a full on ten hours ago. She held her hand out and James placed the covered tart on her small palm.

"Thank you…" she muttered, her cheeks flushing. James stared at her a while longer before getting up suddenly and taking the seat across from Lily. He raised one leg so his ankle rested on his other leg's knee and he took another tart from his robe pocket and began to pick off large sections and place them in his mouth. Lily followed suit, taking a few small bites in silence. Feeling her body course with awkwardness with knowing James was just staring at her, she placed the dessert on the armrest and pulled open her book bag, retrieving the first of six leather-bound books.

Opening the one on Transfiguration, she crossed her legs Indian style on her seat and placed the book on her open knees. James watched her, noticing just a hint of her leg as she pulled her feet up on the chair. He silently choked on the bite of tart he was chewing and cleared his throat heavily for a matter of seconds until he was able to breathe again. Lily looked up as he coughed, her long red hair falling over one shoulder as she cocked her head to the side.

"Potter, are you…are you alright?"

Swallowing the wretched piece of baked bread, he shook his head, lifting his chin arrogantly.

"Oh yea, no I'm fine, Evans. Just a bit…dusty in here."

Lily looked around their empty common room, then rested her eyes suspiciously back on James.

"Dusty?"

"Yea…you know…particles…"

"I know what dust is, Potter. But…I'm fine, and…dust makes you sneeze, not cough, and--"

"Spare me the life story of dust, Evans. I don't give a traipsing pixie about the origination of dust and the seven cousins it produces during the heat of the summer, alright?"

Lily opened her mouth then shut it quickly, narrowing her eyes at James. She clenched her teeth while counting to ten, trying to picture unicorns and desserts…trying to calm down so James wouldn't know he pushed buttons. Coolly, she raised her chin and cleared her throat softly.

"You looked like a baboon's arse, you were so red. Excuse my concern."

She lowered her head to go back to looking through her text book. James sighed silently, looking over at the fire. Good one, he thought to himself. Everyone knew she was a know it all, but did he have to shove it in her face? He pondered, and then smiled, looking back at her. Yes, yes he did. He was James Potter after all.

Peering over the book she noticed him looking at her with a grin on his face.

"What are you so happy about," she stated, turning a page as she took another bite of the dessert. James shrugged and got up, unclasping his robe and tossing it over the chair. Her eyes trained to the book, she cursed vision in its entirety for what she saw from the corner of her eye.

James Potter. She couldn't deny his good looks to herself. To everyone else, yes…but to herself, she was honest. He had his white sleeves pushed back at his elbows, showing the muscles he gained from Quidditch in his forearms. His broad chest was clad with the Gryffindor tie, which was loosely hanging over his gray and maroon sweater vest. She cautiously led her eyes down his torso, taking in his long legs, covered by the black slacks all male students wore. She moved her gaze back to his face, hoping he wasn't watching her. Surprisingly, he wasn't. He was looking into the fire as he leaned over his chair. Lily felt a catch in her breathe as she noticed how the flames danced off his rigid jaw line, his cheekbones present but not overbearing…his hair was messily in his eyes, and she thought he looked more handsome than ever before.

She looked back down at her book, trying to read the words instead of think of James. But then she realized why he looked so appealing. Lowering her book, she tilted her head to the side. He was serious right now. He was looking into that fire almost achingly, as if searching for answers of a difficult quiz. She opened her mouth, then thought twice, then shook her head and exhaled.

"James?"

He turned his head towards her, a small smile forming as he realizes she was looking at him.

"First name basis, eh? You need to give me a notice beforehand next time…"

"Shut it. If being polite doesn't please you, then I'll gladly go back to Pott--"

"It was a joke, Lily."

She nodded and let a cocky grin escape. James caught wind of it and he pulled out his favorite Golden Snitch, tossing it up into the air then grabbing it before it flew out of his reach.

"Have you finished your essay on transfiguration? I haven't figured out exactly which point the professor wants us to make, whether the infinite…possibilities…"

She sighed as James looked at her blankly.

"You haven't started yet, have you?"

He was still, the same blank look.

"You know it's due tomorrow…"

No difference in his stature, no worried look on his face.

"…You know…I'll just ask Remus."

At the mention of a fellow Marauder, James grinned. Lily laughed under her breath and shook her head, and went back to reading her book.

--

"Is it odd that we're the only ones here?" she asked about twenty minutes later, closing her book and having a look back at the portrait hole.

James shrugged, walking closer as he watched the portrait hole as well.

"A bit, I suppose…considering dinner has ended."

Lily took her wand and stood, calmly organizing her books with a flick of her wrist. Straightening her robes and her Head Girl badge, she nodded towards James' robe.

"Put that on, will you? Let's go figure out where everyone's at, maybe we'll have to give out detentions…"

She bit her lip as she forced herself to look away from James putting his robe on. They walked to the portrait hole, and James held his hand out in front of her, motioning for her to go first. She smiled lightly as they passed through and back out into the hallway. It was quiet, and she gripped her wand tighter out of the sheer eeriness of hearing Hogwarts nearly silent.

Either James was just as nervous by the silence or he ultimately knew nothing to talk about. Lily exchanged looks with him as they made their way downstairs but no words were spoken.

Finally, as they reached the Entrance Hall, Lily saw nearly every single student huddled in the room. She and James stood on the stairs, James giving her a concerned look as they both saw students crying, holding on to each other, and scared witless. The large doors leading onto the grounds were open, and Professor McGonagall was trying in vain to steer students away from the doors. The room was loud with students protesting, screaming out words to other students and such. James grabbed Lily's wrist and dragged her down the stairs and into the thick of students.

"Head Boy, Head Girl coming through, watch it!" he exclaimed as they made their way over to the professor. Lily saw other professors trying to organize groups of students who would go back to the common rooms together, and she was instantly confused.

"Professor, what…ouch!" she yelled as three third years pushed her into James, the last one stomping her foot. James held her up as she regained her composure, only to step closer to him as she saw the look of despair on Professor McGonagall's face.

"Lily, good dear, where have you two been? No matter, listen…Lily, I need you to help round up Ravenclaws…get them back to their common room, alright? James, you gather the Hufflepuffs…please, dears, we've got hurry, this is getting out of control."

"Wait, Professor, what's happened?" Lily asked, James looking down at her as he noticed the sound worry dripping from her words.

Professor McGonagall patted her shoulder and pursed her lips, then looked over at James.

"Take care of her, alright, Potter? Make sure we get everyone where they need to be."

With that she managed to work herself away from the Heads, and Lily looked to James for input. When she got none, she looked down at the students around her.

"Ravenclaws, ATTENTION RAVENCLAWS…gather round, find a housemate and follow me to the far left corner of the room, please!" she exclaimed, moving away from James as he stood there, watching her. As Lily tried to gather up students from Ravenclaw, James took a step out to try and round up the Hufflepuffs. That's when he took a look out the doors and saw a group of professors down by Hagrid's hut. Closer, he saw his three mates, the fellow Marauders. Abandoning his task, he jogged out to meet them.

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More than few minutes later, Lily pushed her back in exhaustion as she managed to gather the third group of Ravenclaws and send them back to their common room accompanied by a professor or a prefect. Looking over at the still crowded room, she noticed plenty of Hufflepuff robes around her. Clenching her teeth, she looked around angrily, trying to catch sight of her fellow Head. Making her way to the front of the Hall where the large doors were still open, she stood on a step and tried to find him among the crowd. She failed, and turning her head in exasperation, she noticed a group of four standing at the bottom of the stairs outside of the castle. She immediately recognized them as the Marauders.

Remus Lupin, a very friendly yet quiet boy stood on the furthest left side of the group. On his right stood Sirius Black, James Potter's best friend and partner in crime. Standing next to Sirius was James, and off to the side, further away from the group stood Peter Pettigrew, noticeably shorter and more round than the other three. They all had their hand down at the sides, their wands clenched tightly in their respected hands, except for Peter. His hands were up nervously at his chest.

Lily stomped her foot in impatience and anger. How dare he, she thought, leave ME with all the work?! So he can just stand there, chatting it up with his buddies. She shook her head and angrily stalked down the steps leading outside.

"Potter!"

She got no acknowledgement whatsoever, only adding fuel to the fire.

"James Potter! What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing out here?! You're supposed to be helping me send the students back to their common rooms!"

By the time her small rant ended, she had reached the group, and she stood between Sirius and James. Looking at the both of them and realizing they still hadn't acknowledged her made her feel invisible, and angrier. Grabbing hold of James' robe at his chest, she gave a small tug and looked up at him.

"James, the professors need our help to get the students calmed down, so we can all figure out what's got everyone in a fuss--"

Sirius' touch on Lily's elbow made her jump, and his voice cut through the silence like a knife. It was quiet, almost brooding, and it gave Lily the chills.

"That's…what has everyone in a fuss, Evans."

He pointed his finger up into the dark night sky, in the direction of Hogsmeade. Lily followed his direction until she saw a large green and gray shape in the sky. She released her hold of James' robe, and took in the sight in the sky. It was shaped like a large skull, but…more frightening. The image looked familiar…and when it hit her she placed her hand firmly on James' chest, taking a step closer to him. He looked down at her, his jaw set in stone as he saw the fright wash over her face. Her pink lips slightly open, her green eyes wide. He sighed, shaking his slightly as he felt an unsurpassable anger well inside of him. She didn't deserve to feel afraid…he hated for her to feel afraid…

"That's…that's…" Lily's broken whisper sent chills down James' spine and he moved his hand up to the small of her back, "…That's that Lord…Voldemort's mark…isn't it…?"

She asked, tilting her head back quickly to face James. He looked down at her, with a look that almost broke Lily's heart.

"You dare…speak…You-Know-Who's name?"

Lily reluctantly broke her eye contact with James and stared at who had spoken. Peter, still apart from the group, had stepped forward. He looked at Lily with horror etched into his face.

Lily lifted her chin, determined to show Peter she didn't share the same feeling.

"Of course. Why shouldn't I say his name? I'm not scared of him."

"You, of all people, should be afraid of him, Lily," Peter went on, shaking his head.

Lily's body froze, and James felt her press against his side. He moved his hand further up her back, trying to get her to relax. She slowly began shaking her head, looking from Peter up to James, then back at the sky where the mark remained.

"Why should I be afraid…" she said quietly, and slowly.

After a few moments of silence, James wrapped his other arm around Lily and brought her against his chest, hugging her as if he'd been dying to for years. Surprisingly, she hugged him back, and he could feel her hands shake as they gripped the backs of his robes.

"Nothing…" James whispered fiercely into her hair, "…will happen. Not to you…"

She felt tears begin to form as James pulled back and placed both of his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down so they were closer to eye level and he licked his lips.

"Do you hear me, Lily? Nothing, alright?"

She had her mouth open slightly, and James immediately felt bad. He had made her more scared. She looked so…who was he kidding, she looked beautiful. Her hair slightly mussed up from their hug, her eyes glistening, her full lips pouting as she nodded, her eyes locked with his. He felt her fingers tighten around his forearms, and he pulled her back against him. The Marauders stayed silent, still watching the mark in the sky with nothing but hatred pumping through their veins. Behind them, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood at the threshold of the large doors. They looked knowingly, yet worriedly at each other before they let their gaze move back to Remus, Sirius, Peter, and the now hugging James and Lily.

"What is going to happen, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked the headmaster, her voice shaking just a tiny bit.

After a few moments of watching Lily Evans and James Potter, Dumbledore gave a small smile, his blue eyes twinkling even though it was the middle of the night. Keeping the two Heads in his stare, he took a hold of his beard and slowly pulled it, as if in thought.

"Magic, Minerva. Magic will happen."

She nodded knowingly and stood for a moment before turning back to the Entrance Hall, hoping to fulfill her mission in getting the students to bed. Dumbledore continued to watch the group of seventh years at the end of the stairs, closing his eyes as sighed heavily.

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sooo? tell me what you think! review button is _right_ there!


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